Texas Cook Saves Elderly Couple, Gets EMT Scholarship

When Juan Mendoza saw a car spinning out of control on a rainy Texas highway, he didn't hesitate. The 19-year-old pulled over and ran into traffic to save two strangers trapped inside.

Juan and Adriana O'Matta, both in their late 70s, were driving home from a doctor's appointment when their car was hit and left smoking in the middle of the road. Other drivers kept going, but Mendoza stopped.

"My first thought is that they could have kids, and I have little brothers," Mendoza said. "I'm going to get them out."

He cleared debris from the highway and pulled the couple to safety. The O'Mattas never learned his name, but they called him their guardian angel.

CBS News helped reunite them at the Texas Roadhouse where Mendoza works as a cook near the Mexican border. The emotional meeting brought tears and gratitude, but it also brought something unexpected.

Justin Back, president of Acadian Ambulance Service, one of the largest private ambulance companies in America, was waiting with an offer. He gave Mendoza a full scholarship to EMT school plus a conditional job offer after graduation.

"We're always looking for people who want to help others," Back said. "But that takes a big heart, intelligence, courage, and toughness. That's a rare combination."

The mayor of Weslaco, Texas, added one more surprise by proclaiming an official "Juan Mendoza Day" in the young hero's honor.

Sunny's Take

This story shows what happens when kindness meets opportunity. Mendoza credits his parents for teaching him to stay humble and help anyone in need. Now his split-second decision to stop when others drove past has opened doors he never imagined. The O'Mattas got their lives back, and Mendoza got a path to turn his natural instinct to help into a lifelong career saving others.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply stop.